Six injured after Boeing passenger jet PLUNGES in mid-air minutes after take-off from Nigeria on route to Washington
SIX people have been injured after Boeing jet suddenly plunged minutes after take off.
The United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing while on route to Washington DC.
Dramatic footage showed chaotic scenes throughout the aircraft – which had to be diverted back to Lagos, Nigeria.
Food, trays and personal items could be seen strewn across the floor.
The Boeing aircraft took off late on Thursday night with 245 passengers, eight flight attendants and three pilots on board.
But 93 minutes later, the plane abruptly dipped mid-air.
The pilot was forced to turn back to Lagos and make an emergency landing.
Four passengers and two crew members were taken to hospital with injuries.
United Airlines said the plane had suffered a technical issue and unexpected movement.
The cause of the jolt is still under investigation.
A United Airlines spokesman said: “[The flight] landed safely in Lagos and four passengers and two flight attendants were seen at a hospital for minor injuries and have been released.”
The patients were taken to Duchess Hospital in Ikeja after being stabilised.
United said a further 27 passengers and five crew members suffered minor injuries and were given first aid before being released “immediately.”
The airline added that it was trying to place the passengers on alternative flights.
Flight tracking data showed the same aircraft completing the same journey from Lagos to Washington’s Dulles International Airport was also diverted on Tuesday, just three days earlier.
That flight rapidly dropped 1,000ft approximately 89 minutes into the flight and was diverted to Accra, Ghana.
It is unknown if the two diversions are related.
Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the incident on a state-run radio channel, emphasising that there were no fatalities.
He said passengers had been accommodated in hotels, Radio Nigeria also reported.
Achimugu said: “The medical team were in direct communication with the pilot prior to the aircraft’s landing in Lagos,”adding that the team, as well as firefighters on the ground, were “present and prepared.”